Aberdeenshire Council : NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way)

NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way)

Data cube chart.

Year Higher managerial, administrative & professional occupations Intermediate occupations Routine & manual occupations Never worked & long-term unemployed
1841 13,398 Show data context 28,240 Show data context 25,857 Show data context
1881 18,942 Show data context 28,536 Show data context 31,486 Show data context
1931 18,125 Show data context 31,539 Show data context 25,509 Show data context
1971 2,096 Show data context 1,786 Show data context 2,137 Show data context 1,859 Show data context
1981 3,619 Show data context 2,352 Show data context 2,267 Show data context 1,357 Show data context
1991 5,039 Show data context 2,345 Show data context 2,391 Show data context 693 Show data context
2001 42,311 Show data context 28,997 Show data context 55,436 Show data context 12,745 Show data context
2011 100,451 Show data context 41,472 Show data context 70,552 Show data context 15,468 Show data context
2021 75,720 Show data context 46,335 Show data context 72,211 Show data context 20,885 Show data context
Date Source
1841 [ERROR: authority is ''SRC'' but auth_note value of does not appear in SRC_TAB]
1881 1881 Census of Scotland, Ages, Table [32] , 'Occupations of Males and Females at different Ages in each of the Counties of Scotland'
1931 1931 Census of Scotland, Occupations, Table 16 , 'Industries of Males and Females in Cities, Counties, and Large Burghs'
1971 UK Data Service, Census 1971 data (Table SAS23: "SEG and economic position (10% Sample): Economically Active residents")
1981 UK Data Service, Census 1981 data (SAS50: "Socio-Economic group and economic positions (10% Sample): Economically active residents")
1991 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table S92 "SEG and economic position (10% sample): Economically active residents)
2001 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table UV31, NS-SeC (51 way))
2011 Office for National Statistics, NOMIS - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics (Table QS607UK - NS-SeC)
2021 National Records of Scotland, Scotland's Census (Table UV607, NS-SeC, for "all people aged 16 and over")

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nCube definition


Here we simplify the National Statistics Socio-economic Classfication into just four analytic categories, which we try to present over a very long period. Note that up to 1991 the census focused on levels of "skill", and on whether work was "manual", but since 2001 the focus has instead been on whether work was "routine", making comparisons difficult.


How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Aberdeenshire Council through time | Historical Statistics on Social Structure | NS Socio-economic Classification (4-way), A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10032842/cube/NS_SEC_4WAY

Date accessed: 03rd June 2026